1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the formation of tobacco products, such as smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes), and more particularly, to apparatuses and associated methods for inserting an adsorbent material into a cigarette filter.
2. Description of Related Art
Popular smoking articles, such as cigarettes, have a substantially cylindrical rod shaped structure and include a charge, roll or column of smokable material, such as shredded tobacco (e.g., in cut filler form), surrounded by a paper wrapper, thereby forming a so-called “smokable rod” or “tobacco rod.” Normally, a cigarette has a cylindrical filter element aligned in an end-to-end relationship with the tobacco rod. Typically, a filter element comprises plasticized cellulose acetate tow circumscribed by a paper material known as “plug wrap.” Certain filter elements can incorporate polyhydric alcohols. Typically, the filter element is attached to one end of the tobacco rod using a circumscribing wrapping material known as “tipping paper.” Descriptions of cigarettes and the various components thereof are set forth in Tobacco Production, Chemistry and Technology, Davis et al. (Eds.) (1999). A cigarette is employed by a smoker by lighting one end thereof and burning the tobacco rod. The smoker then receives mainstream smoke into his/her mouth by drawing on the opposite end (e.g., the filter end) of the cigarette.
Certain cigarettes incorporate filter elements having adsorbent materials dispersed therein, such as activated carbon or charcoal materials (collectively, carbonaceous materials) in particulate or granular form (i.e., powder). For example, an exemplary cigarette filter can possess multiple segments, and at least one of those segments can comprise particles of high carbon-content materials. Various types of filters incorporating charcoal particles or activated carbon types of materials are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 2,881,770 to Touey; U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,723 to Seligman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,244 to Irby et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,519 to Touey et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,247 to Lloyd; U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,780 to Sublett et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,595 to Davis et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,982 to Sublett et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,231 to Dock; U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,335 to Tigglebeck et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,023 to Blakley et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,186 to Veluz; U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2007/0056600 to Coleman, III et al.; PCT WO 2006/064371 to Banerjea et al. and PCT WO 2006/051422 to Jupe et al.; which are incorporated herein by reference.
As mentioned, such carbonaceous material types are typically in the form of particles or granules when incorporated into the filter elements. For example, granules of carbonaceous material can be incorporated into “dalmation” types of filter regions using the general types of techniques used for traditional dalmation filter manufacture. Techniques for production of dalmation filters are known, and representative dalmation filters have been provided commercially by Filtrona Greensboro Inc. Alternatively, granules of carbonaceous material can be incorporated into “cavity” types of filter regions using the general types of techniques used for traditional “cavity” filter manufacture. Alternatively, other known types of techniques and equipment for producing filter segments incorporating granular materials can be suitably altered so as to introduce carbonaceous material into the filter segments. However, such techniques often are rudimentary in that the particulates or granules of carbonaceous material are roughly inserted into the filter element as either a loose powder or a slurry, a process which can be described as, for example, inconsistent, wasteful, and “messy.”
As such, there exists a need for apparatuses and methods for inserting the adsorbent material into the filter segments/elements of a smoking article in a manner facilitating a cleaner and more efficient process. Such apparatuses and methods should desirably be able to insert the adsorbent material in various forms into the filter element.